Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has called for greater transparency in athlete selection, athlete-centric governance and institutional reforms across the country’s sports ecosystem, stressing that the interests and welfare of athletes must remain the foremost priority for all stakeholders involved in the system.
Addressing the National Sports Federation Conclave 2026 in New Delhi, Dr Mandaviya said no athlete should ever face injustice in the course of selection or competition, underlining the need for institutional accountability at every level of the sporting hierarchy. He called for complete transparency in selection trials, saying open trials should be recorded on camera in the presence of independent observers to ensure fairness and prevent disputes over selection outcomes.
On the issue of doping, Dr Mandaviya called for a comprehensive strategy to eliminate the menace from Indian sports, saying enforcement action should not be limited to athletes alone. He said the entire chain, including manufacturers, suppliers, facilitators and users of banned substances, must be dealt with through a transparent and robust mechanism, arguing that a narrow focus on athletes alone fails to address the root causes of doping violations.
The Minister also stressed the need to strengthen India’s indigenous coaching ecosystem and reduce overdependence on foreign coaches, calling for greater investment in developing homegrown coaching talent capable of matching international standards across disciplines.
The conclave reviewed the compliance of National Sports Federations with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, alongside broader good governance practices and India’s preparedness for a series of major upcoming sporting events, including the Asian Games 2026, the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 and the Commonwealth Games 2030, with federations urged to align their internal processes with the new governance framework well ahead of these events.
